Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-03-24
TWO VALENTINES.

wood trees along the roadside ratified
and shook dismally.
But In spite ofthe cherries prospect,
Malvern Traverse whistled cheerfully
to himself as he breasted the driving
wind and made his way through the
dry, fast-falling snow toward his home.
"I'll put it under door tonight" he
was saying to himself with smile In
his haZel-gray eyes. al want her to be
sure and get ii the day before st. Nalen-
tines Day. The first person you see
on the 18th of February is going to be
your valentine That's what she said
to herself and I'm bound I shall be the
first one she sees. If she's willing to
be nv valentine, she'll be at the win
dow3'
Here has meditatiOns were inter-
rupted by the sudden opening OF the
door as he reached the threshold, and
by a sharp voice exclaiming:
"Hurry in, for pity sake, Malvern,
and don't be a letting a snow bank
inter the house!n
And Malvern obedientIy hurried in
as he answered, with smile:
mo danger of that, Priscilla. There
amt quite snow-bank on the porch
yet"
''There's mighty nigh it, then!n
grumbled his sister-in-law. "But you
don't seem to mind tramping over to
the postoffice in such storm, and all
for nothin," I'll be bound! Git any
letters" - ~.
mo" returned Malvern, meeSly.
III told you sop retOrted Mrs. Pris-
ella, in tone of triumph.
She was a worthy widow, and WELD
ed the domestic sceptre in her bachelor
brother-in-law's establishment with
wisdom and moderation. But as there
is no rose without q thorn, Mrs.
Priscilla's really excellent qualities
were rather dimmed by the possession
of a sharp tongue. I'D.
II told the TRUTH" smiled Malvern to
himself, as he sought the privacy of his
own apartment. "She didn't ask If
got valentine, so of course wasn't
obliged to tell"
And carefully taking large, square
envelope from his overcoatpocket, he
drew out the contents and examined it
carefully.
1t was very pretty valentine, with
a fancy border surroundings wreath of
for-get-me-nots and orange-blossoms
which encircled pair of doves with
silver wings, represented as billing and
cooling affectionately. EsE.a
On the reverse side was simple
couplet in print:
Gas to the oak-tree clings the vine,
SO my true heart will cling to thine"
The simile was not avery appropriate
one; butt in Malvern's eyes it was the
pink of excellence.
He was a very bashful man-so BASH
full, in fact, that he had passed his
thirtieth birthday, and was still a
bachelor.
This fact was thorn in the side of
his sister-in-law, and many and sharp
were the lectures she had delivered to
him on the subject; but alas! with no
avail. He could have shouldered his
musket and gone into battle without a
tremor. But when it came to making
love to a pretty girl, has heart and
nerves both failed him.
And yet Malvern-poor fellow!-was
in love. He had of late mustered up
sufficient courage to escort Electra
Fevefsham and her step-mother to
church, and to a sociable or other
merrymaking, on several OCCASIONS
But to his misfortune, be it told, he
found it easier to pay attention to the
elder lady than to the daughter. And,
of consequence, the gossips Of the
town had began to connect his name
with that of Mrs. Ignatia Feversham,
much to their own amusement.
Now Electra was the prettiest girl in
the village, with her sloeblack eyes.
and cheeks that matched the scarlet
chrysanthemums she wore in her nut
brown hair, while her step-mother was
snowy and not uncomely woman,
with a sharp eye to the main chance,
and no decided objections to adopting
some other name in the place of Fe-
versham.
Malvern Traverse, though bashful,
was not wanting in decision, and he
had. recently determined that if he
could only be reasonably we'll assured
that Electra would not refuse him, he
would manage to "make her an offer"
in some fashion.
And now she had sent him valen-
tine. He was certain it was from her;
indeed. Lem Jolly, the postmaster had
winked significantly as he delivered it,
remarking, in loud whisper, that
"Miss Feversham posted it!'
And with this encouragement, NAL
vern had laid his plans.
Ct 81 s. -
1t was the morning after Valentines
Day, and Electra was baking buck
wheat cakes in the kitchen.
Her stepmother believed in early
breakfasts and Electra was up before
daylight on the short winter mornings.
The savory odor of boiled ham greet
ed Mrs. Feversham as she came brislily
clicking down stairs, plaid breakfast
shawl Rugged tightly around her
shoulders.
"Ahem! is that snow sifted under the
door," she asked herself as she reached
the bottom step.
A closer inspection assured her it was
net.
"Why it's-it's a valentine!n
And hastily seizing the missive, she
stepped into the parlor to examine il
privately.
"For Electra! Well, 1 declared
Who's it from, I wonder? There's no
harm in opening valentine, so I'll
just see what 'tis.'
And carefully prying open the envel-
op, Mrs. Eeversham beheld tasteful
ly-decorated sheet of rice paper, on the
inner side of which We're written some
words, which she proceeded to read:
"MIss ELEcTRA 7 shall pass your
home at sunrise tomorrow morning,
ST ValpntinaJs nav Tf eaa ,,o,,, G., orr